Chapter Six

West heard Ally laughing in the background and was finally able to take a deep breath. She was calm now, and he’d managed to get her to eat something and have a glass of wine.

She was safe.

“She’s delightful.” His brother walked into the kitchen and reached into the fridge for a beer. “She’s way funnier than I thought she would be.”

Since he’d driven Ally to his place, she’d been regaling his brother and his fiancé with tales of Hollywood gone wrong. She was being charming and lovely in her droll way, and they were eating it up. He rather thought having an audience that obviously adored her was helping calm her down. She’d been through a lot today. She deserved some adoration, but he could see the anxiety and sorrow hiding behind her smile.

“She’s putting on a front, and I have to break through it.” He kept his voice down because he didn’t want to disrupt her conversation with Martin.

Rand looked back at the two of them. “Yeah, I thought she was handling the whole ‘someone sent me a blood bomb’ thing pretty well. She’s an excellent actress.”

“She doesn’t get enough credit,” he murmured. Rand didn’t even know all the crap she’d been through today. “In this case, she’s had years and years of experience sucking up every bad thing that happens to her because if she didn’t, she might upset her sister’s career which would have apparently sent them all into homelessness and ruin.”

“Well, we know how that feels.” Rand leaned against the counter. “You’ve nicely summed up our childhood.”

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that. They had far more in common than he would have believed. Once he’d seen that, he’d started to understand her. Then it had been a really quick slide into wanting her more than he wanted his next breath. “She pointed out the similarities.”

“You like her.”

West went silent. His twin usually knew what he was feeling.

Rand’s brows rose. “You really like her.”

He stared his brother’s way. “Are you the only person in the world who hasn’t seen the pictures on the Internet?”

“There are pictures?” Rand leaned over, raising his voice. “Marty, did you see pics on the Internet of my brother?”

“There are pictures?” Martin’s eyes lit up, and then he seemed to remember he was sitting next to Ally. “Did the paparazzi follow you two around? That has to be annoying. After all this, I hope they give you some space.”

“It’s on Star Call,” Ally said with a frown and a wave of her hand, giving Marty permission to go look. “You better be fast, though. I’m trying to get them taken down. I never intended to drag West into that part of my life.”

Martin sat there, his hand not going for his phone, but there were practically tears in his eyes.

“I don’t care about the pictures. You can go look.” He needed to start breaking down the walls she was putting up, and that began with making it plain that she hadn’t done anything wrong. “Ally, don’t bother with the website. If it doesn’t bother you, it doesn’t bother me. There was nothing in those pictures I’m embarrassed about. I would rather talk about why you had to send Matt out of the suite.”

Martin was already on his phone, standing close to Rand, both looking for the pics.

Ally turned her barstool toward him. “I didn’t order him out. He started in on the flirty thing, and I explained I wasn’t interested. He got butt hurt and decided to station himself outside. Also, I know I shouldn’t have opened a package without it going through a guard, but my mom had just told me she’d sent one. I wasn’t thinking. I was worried about you. What did you get called in for?”

He moved around the bar and got into her space, bringing his hand up to smooth back her hair. “The boss was upset about the pictures. He wanted to let me know I fucked up when I let a photographer follow us. There was a GPS locator in the wheel well of my SUV. It was placed there either at the studio or the hotel. I have to figure it out. I won’t let it happen again.”

“It’s not your…” she began.

He let his hand find the back of her neck. He wasn’t sure if she did it consciously, but her legs shifted open to let him in between. “It is, and my brother and Ian were right to call me out on it. I wish it hadn’t happened, but the pictures worry me far less than what happened after.”

“You’re not upset?”

“That someone sent you a box of blood?”

“No, about the pictures,” she corrected. “Those reporters will find your name. They’ll figure out you’re supposed to be my bodyguard, and they’ll make a big deal out of it. They can make a scandal out of me eating a burger and having the tiniest little belly.”

“I don’t care if they find out my name. I’m sure we’re not the first man and woman who started a relationship from a professional connection.” Maybe they should have this conversation somewhere private.

His brother and Martin were perfectly silent and still, as though not willing to interrupt the show.

Ally turned her gaze his brother’s way, not breaking the physical connection they had. “Are you upset? You are his twin. People might think it’s you.”

“People might think I’m the one passionately kissing a gorgeous actress in the middle of a sun-kissed nature setting?” his brother asked.

“I’m already planning on covering a wall in framed prints,” Martin assured her. “You both look gorgeous.”

She sighed. “Guys, it’s not as glamorous as it seems.”

Martin went serious. “No. It sucks, but West is sturdier than he looks. You’re worried he’s going to get hurt, but West has a pretty thick skin, and he doesn’t scare easily. He moved his whole life to support his brother. He’s a solid guy, and a little tabloid press isn’t going to make him run away.”

“How about the possibility of losing his job?” she countered.

Had she been thinking about this all evening? “Big Tag isn’t going to fire me. If he did, I would find another job. I do have a degree, you know. It’s in agriculture management, but it’s a degree.”

There was a knock on the door, and West felt his hand move to the pistol in his shoulder holster.

Martin had moved over to the monitor that the camera over the door fed into. One of the reasons he’d brought her here was the complex was gated, and he had an excellent security system. And there were three of them to watch her. He trusted his brother and Martin.

“It’s Tessa,” Martin announced, moving to answer the door.

Tessa Hawthorne walked in carrying a big, familiar suitcase. “I packed everything and checked you out of the hotel per your request. Including the other package, which I verified was in fact a blender and protein shake pouches. And your mom sent a nice note. She’s very proud of you. So what did you do to Matt to put him in such a shitty mood?”

“Matt is an asshole who hit on the client and didn’t like it when she turned him down,” West announced, taking the bag from Tessa.

Tessa cleared her throat, another way to point out he might be being a hypocrite.

He was about to explain that she hadn’t turned him down, but Ally stepped up.

“It wasn’t the same. I was the one who came on to West,” Ally said. “I practically threw myself at him. Those pictures don’t tell the whole story. They don’t show you the part where he kindly turned me down.”

Tessa’s head tilted slightly. It was a total tell that she didn’t believe what someone was saying. Tessa had an excellent bullshit detector. “Really? Because he didn’t look like he was turning you down.”

“Like I said, pictures don’t always tell the truth,” she reiterated quietly. “There are angles that make things look worse than they are.”

“Then why did he stand in the middle of the office and tell Big Tag he was madly in love with you and leaving for LA, and if Big Tag didn’t like it, he could eat a bag of dicks?” Tessa asked.

It was good to know the gossip mill was running hard and fast. “I did not do that. I told him if he tried to replace me as the lead on Ally’s case, I would quit and still protect her.”

“You did?” She looked up at him like she couldn’t believe he would say that.

“I was going to tell you that if you get the big guy a bag of dicks, they better be chocolate.” Tessa shrugged it off, proving she was excellent at dealing with workplace drama. “Someone sent him gummy ones once, and it pissed him off. Also, he made me…”

West groaned. “I don’t need condoms.”

She shrugged again. “And yet you have so many now.”

“His office is way cooler than yours, babe,” Martin whispered his brother’s way.

“I don’t know. We have this horny AI who keeps telling all the men their butts look good,” Rand whispered back. “Except for Adam. She tells him he’s getting pudgy. Not sure what’s up with that. I thought he programmed her.”

Hutch and Big Tag were still having fun with Adam. He needed to get Ally alone. They had a lot to talk about.

Or not talk about.

She was wound so tightly, and they couldn’t go for a hike.

He hoped she hadn’t changed her mind about giving them a chance. Even if he had to go slowly.

“Ally has a research tour tomorrow, so I’m going to make sure she gets some rest,” he announced.

“Uh huh.” Tessa started for the door. “I bet she’ll get lots of rest. It’s the best clause to break, man. I should know. I married mine.”

“I’ll set the alarm, and then Marty and I are going to bed,” Rand said, locking the door behind Tessa.

Martin’s face fell. “But we could…”

“Go to bed so my brother and Ally have some privacy to work out the whole picture thing,” Rand corrected. “Good night.”

And he was left alone with Ally.

“Thank you for bringing me here. I like your brother and Martin,” she began.

He moved in, hating the distance between them. Until Tessa had shown up, that distance hadn’t felt so far, but the walls had come up again. “They like you, too. And Martin is right. I’m not some fragile guy who can’t handle a little scrutiny. Now before this conversation twists and turns, let’s cut to the heart of the matter. Are you planning on throwing yourself on the sacrificial altar of the career I kind of fell into?”

“If me telling your boss it was my fault helps, then yes,” she insisted.

“No.” He stared down at her, her head tilted up and eyes wide.

“No?”

“No.” Damn but she was the single most gorgeous woman he’d ever seen. How had he missed the softness in her eyes? The sweetness that hid behind her exterior? Was it all the sweeter because it was only shown to a few people in her life? “I already told Ian he wasn’t going to order me around when it comes to you.”

“You told him that?”

“In so many words. He threw that clause in my face, and he can fire me if he wants to. Only one person can tell me to stay out of your bed, and that’s you, Ally. You’re the only one who can stop me.”

“West.” His name puffed out of her mouth with a little wonder behind it. Like she couldn’t quite believe what was going on.

“Baby, you’ve had a day, and if you want me to sleep out here on the couch…”

“I don’t. I just…you said you didn’t need condoms.”

He chuckled and let his hands find her hips. “I don’t. I have my own, though you should know I’m going to check the expiration date. I haven’t dated in a long time. And the boss is big on condoms, but I’m pretty sure he buys the cheapest ones he can find. It’s nothing but the top of the line for you.”

That was the moment he realized she wasn’t touching him. She stood there, looking up at him like she was trying to make a decision.

What if she was trying to decide if he might not handle rejection well? What if she was as nervous about him as she had been about Matt? She could have spent the last few hours deciding he wasn’t worth the trouble.

He was about to pull away when she went on her toes and brushed her lips against his.

“I hope you don’t regret this,” she whispered. “Because I’m pretty sure I will.”

He intended to make sure she didn’t.

* * * *

The minute she felt her lips against his, her body started to sing. It was like her skin came to life and anticipation was an actual sensation running through her veins.

It was stupid because it wasn’t even like she was crazy about sex. She’d had a couple of boyfriends. She’d had a couple of men who’d tried to initiate her far too young, but she’d managed to save herself from those situations. It was probably why she was so reluctant to throw herself into the physical.

But this is the right one , a voice inside her kept whispering. This is the right man. Even if he doesn’t stay. Even if this doesn’t last.

Even if he walked away at the end of this job, she would know what it meant to be with him in every way that mattered.

His arms drew her in as he took over the kiss. She gave over immediately, more than willing to follow his lead. The truth was she usually felt completely awkward during sex. It was one of the reasons she didn’t have much of it, but this was different. Her body seemed to move instinctively with his. When his hand found the back of her neck, her chest seemed to swell, flattening against his as he deepened the kiss.

“Do you know how long I’ve been thinking about this?” He whispered the words against her mouth.

He was so deliciously strong and muscular, his big body looming over hers, surrounding hers. “A couple of days.”

He stepped back, but his hand found hers. “Forever. Even if it’s only been a couple of days. Come with me. I don’t want to sleep on the couch tonight. Let me tell you all the things I’ll do if you let me in that bed with you.”

Her heart rate had tripled, and if anything else had happened today, she couldn’t remember what it was. There had been bad stuff, but it slipped away as she followed West down a short hallway and into his room.

That man was gorgeous. Somehow he looked better in a T-shirt and jeans than all the Hollywood stars she’d seen on the red carpet put together. She stared at him as he closed the door behind her, taking in his sandy hair and the sexy scruff that had made an appearance at some point today. He didn’t know it, but she’d watched him shave the other day, standing in front of the bathroom mirror in nothing but his jeans.

“What will you do to me, West?”

There was the distinct sound of a lock clicking closed. “First, I’m going to kiss you again because I cannot get enough of that mouth of yours, Ally. I love how it looks and the snarky words that come out of it. I love the way you smile, and when you bite your bottom lip, I swear I feel it in my cock.”

“I thought the words part would be a negative. I’ve been accused of being hard on a man’s ego.”

“Only because they had fragile ones. I’ve learned that you only complain when you need to. You keep calling me out, baby. It won’t make me walk away.”

Damn it. He was saying all the right things, and she didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to get so emotional it ruined this first time between them. “Tell me dirty things, Rycroft. I can’t. Not tonight.”

He moved in, brushing her hair back. “We’ll play this dirty tonight, but I need you to acknowledge that this is more than sex. I’m not going back to friends in the morning.”

He was such a frustrating man. Did he know how many men would kill to be able to slip in and out of her bed? And that was why he was the right one. He didn’t want to be her living vibrator, didn’t want to be here to merely provide stress relief. “You matter to me, West.”

He stared at her for a moment, acknowledging the agreement between them. They were together. For now. Then his hand moved to her hair, fingers threading through, and he tightened them, sending a sizzle across her scalp. “I’m in charge here, Ally. Do you understand me? You get to call all the shots. When you want to relax, we’ll work on puzzles and watch whatever show you want to, but when that door closes, I’m the boss.”

She’d heard the rumors about the company he worked for. There was a series of movies based on books by an author who was married to one of the employees.

Doms. Tops. BDSM. Was he a BDSM person?

She felt her nipples tighten at the thought of being tied up and helpless, at his mercy. She’d never considered the fantasy because she would have told anyone who’d asked that she wouldn’t be able to trust any man that much.

Until she’d met him.

“Is this one of those things where we need a contract?” She’d heard of them.

A wicked grin hit his lips. “I don’t think we’ll get that far, baby, but you should understand I’ve taken the training class, and if you ever want to visit Sanctum, I’ll take you. But this is fun and games to me. It’s play. I don’t need you to be truly submissive. I don’t need to spank you, though I think it would be fun. All I need is for you to let me take the lead most of the time.”

“What do you want me to do, West?” She prayed he said take off her clothes because they were starting to feel like they were too small for her.

“Take my shirt off.”

That was even better. She reached down and pulled his shirt overhead, revealing that sculpted chest with a light dusting of hair. She tried to remember what she knew. “Can I touch you? Should I call you Sir?”

He caught her hand in his, placing it against his warm skin. “I’m West, and we’ll ease into play. I’m pretty sure I will never tell you not to touch me. Unless you have some very specific fantasies. We can play out all of those.”

Fantasies. Kinky, dirty fantasies. “I don’t think I’ve had many up until now, but I could see you as a cowboy fresh off the range looking for some fun.”

“I can make that happen, but for now, I’m just a bodyguard who’s madly attracted to his gorgeous client. Did I mention I intend to kiss you again?”

When he kissed her, she couldn’t think, and that seemed like the best idea right now. “I think you should.”

He leaned over, lips skimming hers. “Did I tell you all the places I’m going to kiss? Definitely here.”

He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, and she felt arousal flood her veins. She’d never gotten so hot so damn fast. She usually took forever to warm up. She let him lead, opening her mouth to allow him inside. He was a dominating presence, his big tongue sliding over hers in a silky glide.

“But as crazy as I am about your mouth, it’s not the only thing I’m going to kiss. Give me your shirt, Allyson.”

The deep command seemed to roll over her skin, and she found herself dragging her T-shirt over her head and tossing it away. She hadn’t bothered with a bra. When the police had told her she could take a shower, all she’d cared about was getting that blood stuff off. She hadn’t picked one up.

“Stay with me, gorgeous.” He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re safe. You don’t have to think about anything but what we’re doing for the next couple of hours, and in the morning, I’ll be with you.”

He knew how to calm her in a way no one had before. “Where else are you going to kiss me?”

His hand trailed down to her breast. “I think this looks like an excellent place to put my mouth.”

He got on his knees in front of her, and she couldn’t breathe when he licked her nipple.

“Yeah, this is beautiful and definitely deserves a little attention,” he murmured before drawing the nipple into his mouth.

He sucked her, and she felt her pussy go soft and wet for him, every cell in her body longing for what was going to happen next. He palmed her other breast, twisting the nipple lightly before caressing her. The nip of pain was eased with his softness, the two sensations making her head reel.

Before she knew it, his hands were on her sweats, easing them down. He managed to maneuver her to his big bed, settling her on the soft comforter. He pulled off her shoes and tossed them aside and then he made quick work of her pants and undies, and she was naked in front of him.

She had no problems with her body. She worked damn hard for it, but the look in West’s eyes made all those protein shakes worth it. Ally watched as he untied the strings at the waist of his sweats. He kicked off his shoes, and then his pants and boxers went wherever her clothes had gone.

The man was a golden god. The scars on his body did nothing to lessen his attractiveness. She merely wanted to know the story of every single one. She wanted to know everything about him.

One thing she knew about him now was he had the prettiest cock. She’d never considered the male member to be a thing of beauty, but like all things West Rycroft, his was different.

He could rip her heart out, and she wouldn’t be able to put it back together. Not ever.

Then he was on his knees again, his big hands going around her ankles and pulling her down the bed, and she wasn’t thinking about anything but his kiss.

“Now see, this is definitely in need of attention.” West spread her legs wide and leaned in. He breathed deeply, and she knew she should likely feel self-conscious, but it wouldn’t come. All she felt was sexy as hell. “You smell like heaven, baby. Let’s see how you taste.”

Her vision went soft when he put his mouth over her pussy. Like everything the man did, he did this with precision and care. His tongue stroked her, mouth sucking her labial lips before diving deep inside. A searing heat spread through her when he fucked her with his tongue.

She squirmed under him, but his hands held her tight. Yeah, that did something for her, too. He wouldn’t let her get away, wouldn’t let her miss a single second of this exquisite pleasure.

When he licked her clit, she went right over the edge.

She was still panting when he got to his feet.

“Move up on the bed.” The command came out of his mouth in a harsh tone, but she did as he’d asked.

He was back in seconds, a goofy grin on that gorgeous face of his as he held up a condom. “Still good, and so much better than what Tag would have sent.”

Oh, she was falling in love with this man. “That better be ribbed for my pleasure.”

The smile turned distinctly dirty. “Always, baby.”

He rolled the condom on his cock and then covered her body with his. She expected him to start thrusting. She was so wet and relaxed she wouldn’t mind. If he took five seconds, she would be happy because he’d brought her more pleasure than she’d ever had before.

She felt the hard nudge of his cock at her pussy, but he held himself there, staring down at her. All of his goofiness was gone.

“You matter to me, too, Ally.” He kissed her, a soft stroke of his lips over hers. “You matter.”

He kissed her again, and she felt him inside. In that moment, she felt him in her soul.

Ally wrapped her body around his, arms around his neck, legs cradling his hips. He thrust inside and dragged his cock back out. Their bodies felt perfectly locked together, fitting in a way she’d never experienced before. This all felt new, and she was overwhelmed, emotion threatening to choke her.

When the orgasm came, she let it carry her along. She rode the wave. It crashed over her, destroying every defense she had. All her walls seemed to come down, and she clutched him, the horrors of the day blending in because she couldn’t hold it all back. She cried even as she came.

Because she was safe. Because it was all too much, and he was safe.

She felt him stiffen, his arms holding her so tightly as he went over the edge.

“That’s right, baby. You let it out.” He whispered the words to her, his forehead against hers. “Let it out. It’s okay now. You’re going to be okay. I’m going to make sure of it.”

He rolled to the side, but not before she could have sworn she saw that his eyes held a watery sheen.

He eased her head down on his chest, cradling her.

Ally cried and let all the toxic moments of the day out because there was no room for them. Not anymore.

He was still holding her when she fell asleep, the world a better place than it had seemed mere hours before.